New products
New product and service offerings from company press releases.
Memory caliper for HTHP wells Read Well Services has introduced the first fully electronic 40-finger memory caliper tool rated above 200°C. Commissioned by Total E&P UK plc for operations on their Elgin-Franklin field, the device is lowered into the well to make precision measurements of internal diameter under high-temperature, high-pressure (HTHP) conditions to determine integrity. The new tool delivers digital measurements to within a few thousandths of an inch, and can survive for up to 15 hours at a temperature of 205°C and pressures up to 17,500 psi. It provides 40 continuous electronic measurements of the well bore diameter using sensitive ‘fingers’, recording precise digital measurements of the well diameter in a battery-powered downhole memory pack. Individual measurements are recorded every 1/2 in. from the bottom to the top of the well – nearly 40 million in total. Data is then rapidly analyzed to give the operator a precise image of the condition of the well, both numerically and as 3-D images.
Mud logging data collection
Fluid loss control additives Celanese has announced the development of high performance chemical products for oilfield operations. The new Premiol line of performance chemicals target a range of applications for cementing and drilling. Premiol DWC-50 is a powder-form fluid loss control additive for deep well applications that delivers high-temperature performance (up to 150°C) at costs below traditional high-molecular-weight polymers, while also giving cost-effective performance at lower temperatures (50 – 60°C). This allows consolidation of fluid loss control product inventory. Premiol OSC-10 is a water-based fluid loss control additive designed for offshore cementing or onshore applications where liquid delivery is desired. It delivers performance equivalent to the best mineral-oil-based fluid loss agents. The aqueous nature of Premiol OSC-10 offers a better environmental profile than typical mineral oil-based products, and its high concentration allows for economical delivery and cost efficiency. Premiol MRC-33 is a powder-form fluid loss control additive for mid-range temperatures between 75°C and 120°C that provides the excellent fluid loss and preferred, low surface rheology without settling.
Rotary steerable service INTEQ has launched the AutoTrak X-treme Rotary Closed Loop Drilling System (RCLS), which delivers precise wellbore placement at high drilling efficiency. The company has integrated its third-generation AutoTrak rotary steerable system with its X-treme motor technology, which generates 50 – 100% more power than conventional motors. The new system offers pinpoint well placement and exceptional hole quality capabilities with high penetration rates associated with the motor. Available to drill hole sizes from 5-1/2 in. to 18-1/4 in., the system has been field tested in rigorous drilling environments. In the North Sea, the AutoTrak X-treme system is being used routinely to extend the reach of horizontal production wells several thousand feet past prior limits for enhanced recovery. It is also being applied extensively in Saudi Arabia to drill extended multilateral wells, and offshore India, the system has improved drilling performance and reach capabilities on a multilateral project.
Rugged tablet PCs
Sorbent booms
Analysis software upgrades Two software systems used in oil and gas exploration and production operations have been released in enhanced versions by Knowledge Systems. Drillworks, an integrated software suite for predrill, real-time and post-drill analysis of pore pressure and geomechanical analysis, and Pressworks, a specialized relational database for storing and managing geopressure and geomechanical-related information, have both had significant improvements. The new Drillworks release includes new features that improve modeling, analysis and project management. These involve significant revisions to core Drillworks programs, including: Predict 11.5, the pore pressure prediction application; Presage 2.6, (formerly Drillworks Basin) the geopressure modeling software; LOT Analyzer 2.0, for capturing, interpreting and storing leak-off test data; and Drillworks Explorer 2.0, a personal data management application to access geopressure and geomechanical data in Drillworks projects. Also released is Pressworks Version 2.0, a new version of the company’s relational database for large-scale storing and management of geopressure and geomechanical information that improves data integration and access for multiple users to enhance multidisciplinary collaboration and well planning. Pressworks Scout, a data browser and visualization tool, allows non-Drillworks users to find, select and view geopressure-related data.
Geomodeling software Geomodeling Technology Corp. has released SBED 2006 version 1 software, the only commercial software for modeling the small-scale geological heterogeneity that impacts large-scale reservoir performance. The 2006 version includes new features, including project template file management; template model image capture, assignment and preview; new petrophysical simulation parameters dialog; and export/ import for project template contents. Project template file management was redesigned to conform to Microsoft Window’s file and folder management standards, allowing users to create new folders and subfolders, rename folders and files, and move folders and models. The template model image capture has been retooled to allow the user to capture and assign an image, which is then tagged to the template model listed in the Project Template tab, and can be previewed. A new petrophysical simulation parameters dialog has also been added. New spreadsheet design handles porosity and permeability parameters in the Petrophysical tab.
Electrically propelled ROV
Fire-resistant cables Draka Marine, Oil & Gas International announced the new fire-resistant Flex-Flame HCF cables for offshore rigs and production platforms. These are designed specifically to keep a number of critical systems applications operating during a fire and other dangerous situations that can arise offshore, including emergency shut-down and fire pump systems, communications, fire and gas monitoring and other critical systems. The cables can withstand temperatures from 750°C to 1,100°C. When exposed to a hydrocarbon fire, a typical IEC 6033121 cable will break down after 2 to 6 min. The Flex-Flame HCF cables can endure extreme temperatures for up to 60 min. The cables are available in two options, both of which have an LSFROH outer sheath. In addition, the 250V and 1 kV BFOU-HCF series, which contain a mica glass tape, pass both the IEC 60331-21 gas flame test for a minimum of 90 min. at 750°C, as well as IEC 60331-31 with hammer shock for 120 minutes at 850°C without short-circuiting.
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Datalog has introduced the ANAX 500, a central data-collection system for the company’s Mud Logging Unit. It combines the real-time information management of WellWizard software with superior data compilation. Suited for offshore rigs, the unit provides high-speed data acquisition for drilling optimization and hydraulic analysis with improved resolution and sensitivity. It is a full-featured, rack-mounted unit with complete geologic capabilities. The unit saves all main parameters in a MySQL database, storing both time and depth-based records, with additional databases to store information such as bottomhole assembly, drill string, pipe tally and directional survey data. The system has redundancy built in, with two independent hard drives – a primary drive runs the system and a secondary drive that mirrors the primary for continual backup. The offshore version also provides a second CPU unit for redundancy.
DRS Tactical Systems has launched their 8th generation tablet computers, the Hammerhead and the Hammerhead Xtreme, a line of durable and reliable industrial tablet computers and docking stations for real-life working conditions and harsh environments. These PCs provide mobility and docking capability and can be vehicle-mounted, hand-carried as a replacement for clipboards or used as a notebook replacement. The new products include proprietary technologies to protect critical data and make fieldwork easier. FlexSpace offers the ability to build additional communication, storage or other features into a Hammerhead computer without compromising overall performance. The Hammerhead Xtreme has DuraCase, a virtually indestructible, high-grade aluminum housing. ProtectIT is a data protection system, and ShutOut sealing technology protects the PC from contaminates. Batteries can be changed without suspending the operating system or shutting down any applications, and a data-recovery system allows PC users to recover critical data in the field.
Complete Environmental Products (CEP) has introduced new biodegradable sorbent booms, designed for petroleum-based spills onshore or offshore. They absorb much more petroleum-based liquids than pure poly boom, with identical usage applications. Each section is made with a durable sock and netting. The booms are non-toxic, biodegradable, and non-shedding. They are constructed of a high-absorbing poly/ cellulose blend. They feature rope and snap clips for ease of deployment and retrieval. The booms are available in both 5-in. and 8-in. diameters in bright white, in 10-ft sections.
ECA HYTEC has launched a new work-class remotely operated vehicle, the ROV H1000. With a maximum operating depth of 1,000 m and multi-functional hydraulic manipulating arms, the ROV has a large underwater intervention capacity for a wide range of applications. The electrically propelled ROV weighs 1,100 lb fully equipped (zero weight in water) and can handle a 35-lb payload in seawater. Its open-frame design gives it good modularity for adding sensors. Two manipulating arms (one with four functions and one with five) and the embedded hydraulic power unit enable the use of a wide range of hydraulic tools. It is available in two depth configurations: The 1000-m version includes tether management and launch-and-recovery systems while the 300-m version has a much lighter design and operates with a deadweight and a 400-ft umbilical cord 
